Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 27:31-34

"And when they had mocked him, they took off from him the robe, and put on him his garments, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to go [with them], that he might bear his cross. And they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, The place of a skull, they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted it, he would not drink." — Matthew 27:31-34 (ASV)

Glossa Ordinaria: After the Evangelist narrated the events concerning the mocking of Christ, he proceeds to His crucifixion.¹

St. Augustine of Hippo: This should be understood as happening at the very end, when He was led away to be crucified after Pilate had handed Him over to the Jews.²

St. Jerome: It should be noted that when Jesus is scourged and spit upon, He is not wearing His own garments but those which He took on for our sins. But when He is crucified and the spectacle of His mockery is complete, He then puts on His former garments and His own clothes again. Immediately, the elements are shaken, and creation gives testimony to its Creator.

Origen of Alexandria: It is mentioned that they took the cloak off Him, but the Evangelists have not said the same about the crown of thorns. This suggests that our ancient thorns are now gone, since Jesus has taken them from us upon His revered head.

St. John Chrysostom: The Lord would not suffer under a roof or in the Jewish Temple, so that you would not suppose He was offered for that people alone. Instead, He suffered outside the city, beyond the walls, so that you might know that the sacrifice was for all, that it was the offering of the whole earth, and that the purification was general.³

St. Jerome: Let no one think that John's narrative contradicts this passage from the Evangelist. John says that the Lord went forth from the praetorium bearing His cross, while Matthew tells us that they found a man of Cyrene on whom they laid Jesus' cross. We should suppose that as Jesus went out of the praetorium, He was bearing His cross, and that afterward they met Simon, whom they compelled to bear it.

Origen of Alexandria: Or, as they went out, they laid hold of Simon, but when they drew near to the place where they would crucify Him, they laid the cross upon Jesus so that He might bear it. Simon did not obtain this task by chance but was brought to the spot by God's providence, so that he might be found worthy of mention in the Gospel Scriptures and of the ministry of the cross of Christ.

And it was not only fitting for the Savior to carry His cross, but also fitting that we should take part in it, taking up a burden so beneficial to us. Yet it would not have profited us as much to take it upon ourselves as we have profited by His taking it upon Himself.ⁱ

St. Jerome: Figuratively, the Gentile nations take up the cross, and the foreigner, through obedience, bears the Savior's shame.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: For a Jew was not worthy to bear Christ's cross; rather, it was reserved for the faith of the Gentiles to both take up the cross and suffer with Him.

Remigius of Auxerre: For this Simon was not a man of Jerusalem but a foreigner and a resident alien, being from Cyrene, a city in Libya. Simon is interpreted as “obedient,” and a Cyrenean as “an heir.” Therefore, he aptly represents the Gentile people, who were strangers to the covenants of God but, by believing, became fellow citizens with the saints, members of the household, and heirs of God.

St. Gregory the Great: Alternatively, Simon who bears the burden of the Lord's cross represents those who are abstinent but proud. Through their abstinence they afflict their flesh, but do not seek the inner fruit of that abstinence. Thus, Simon bears the cross but does not die on it, just as these people afflict the body but, in their desire for vainglory, live for the world.⁴

Rabanus Maurus: “Golgotha” is a Syriac word and is interpreted as Calvary.

St. Jerome:ⁱ

I have heard Calvary explained as the place where Adam was buried, as if it were named for the head of the first man being buried there. This is a plausible interpretation and agreeable to the ears of the people, yet it is not true.

Outside the city, beyond the gate, are the places where criminals are executed, and these have come to be called Calvary, that is, “of the beheaded.” Jesus was crucified there so that the banner of martyrdom might be raised on the very ground of criminals. Adam, however, was buried near Hebron and Arba, as we read in the book of Joshua, son of Nun.ⁱ

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Such is the place of the cross, set up in the center of the earth, so that it might be equally accessible for all nations to attain the knowledge of God.

St. Augustine of Hippo: And they gave him to drink wine mingled with gall. Mark says it was mingled with myrrh (Mark 15:23). Matthew used the word “gall” to express bitterness, but wine mingled with myrrh is very bitter. Indeed, it is possible that gall combined with myrrh would be the most bitter of all.⁵

St. Jerome: The bitter vine makes bitter wine; this they gave the Lord Jesus to drink, so that what was written might be fulfilled: They gave me also gall for my meat (Psalm 69:21). And God addresses Jerusalem: I had planted you a true vine, how are you turned into the bitterness of a strange vine? (Jeremiah 2:21).

St. Augustine of Hippo: And when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. That Mark says, But he received it not, we understand to mean that He would not receive it to drink it. For Matthew bears witness that He tasted it. Therefore, Matthew’s statement, He would not drink, means exactly the same as Mark’s, He received it not; only Mark does not mention His tasting it.

That He tasted it but would not drink signifies that He tasted the bitterness of death for us but rose again on the third day.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Or, He refused the wine mingled with gall because the bitterness of sin is not to be mixed with the incorruption of eternal glory.

1. non occ.
2. de Cons. Ev., iii, 9
3. Hom. de Cruc. et Lat., ii
4. Hom. in. Ev., xxxii, 3
5. de Cons. Ev., iii, 11